Safe In My Arms
by Yuki-no-Sakura
Summary: It's Valentines Day and the school dance is coming up! But will Hiro have enough courage to ask Kisa? And what happens when Kisa is kidnapped?
1. Chapter 1

This is just going to be a short, light-hearted fanfic that I'm writing just so I can have more time to think about the longer one I'm going to write later on (I have no idea what I'm going to write about next… . ).

Ah, Hiro/Kisa, one of the cutest pairing that ever existed. Inspired by a picture I found at: http/www.chrissy.cc/acorns/fb00017.jpg

Chapter One

The School Dance! One of the stupidest activities our school hosted each year. It was only a week from now. And of course, a wave of hopeful girls rushed to ask me, Hiro Sohma to go with them. Ah yes, the blessing that is popularity came with its curses…  
I yawned. I was waiting for Kisa. An older boy was asking her to the dance.

"I-I'm sorry" she said, blushing furiously looking at the ground, "I can't go with you…  
"Is it me?" he asked desperately, "Is it my big ears?"  
"It's not you…"  
"I CAN CHANGE, Kisa! I can CHANGE!"  
"You're a nice person…"  
"Are you going with someone else?"  
"…"  
Kisa blushed furiously.  
"I'm sorry" she said to him and walked away. The boy looked as if he were going to burst into tears.

Amazing how 'grown-up' kids could be these days…' I thought as I watched the boy try to ask poor Kisa to the dance. She had been almost literally 'attacked' by boys who offered her chocolates and flowers.  
'Pathetic' I thought as I watched each and every one of them being rejected. Everyone knew that Kisa was going with me.

"Hiro-kun" Kisa said, waving at me, her bag crammed full of gifts. I suppose it would have been rude if she threw them away or didn't accept them. She was ready to walk home with me as we always did.  
"How are you going to eat all of those chocolates, Kisa?" I asked, running forward to catch up to her, "I don't think I can," she said quietly staring at the lake beside our school, "I'll give some to you and some to Onee-chan…"  
Argh, she was talking about that stupid girl again, I didn't see what Kisa saw in her. She was so…dim-witted. She never seemed to have anything on her mind. Yuki and Kyo were also charmed by her. But I, Hiro Sohma was made of sterner stuff than that.

"It's beautiful," she said, looking at the shimmering water reflecting the cherry blossom trees that were surrounding it. I looked at what stood in front of me. It truly _was_ an amazing sight. Some of the petals had fallen into the water. They floated on top on the water, creating a sea of pink. It was so serene. I looked around us…there were couples everywhere, holding hands, wrapped around each other. I felt myself blush.  
'Just in time for Valentines Day' I thought to myself, 'Maybe I should ask her to the dance…I mean, we haven't even talked about it… How do adults deal with this?'

"Hey Kisa! Why don't we sit down for a moment? You sit here and I'll some buy ice cream, okay?"  
This was a good start. Buy her some ice cream and talk to her for a bit…then I'll ask her…she nodded politely. I loved her so much. She was as pretty as a flower and as gentle as a lamb. Her smile made me feel warm inside and her laugh was music to my ears. I wanted to embrace her forever…

The ice cream man handed me the ice cream, one chocolate ice cream for me and one strawberry ice cream for her.  
I sat down next to her, handed her strawberry ice cream. 'Now is the time, Hiro. Seize this opportunity! Ask her' voices echoed through my mind, 'What's there to lose? She likes you too! It's obvious…everyone says so…but what if it isn't…'

"Thanks Hiro" she said, avoiding my eyes, "You're a very kind person."  
I stared at her and smiled. Kisa looked at me and blushed.

Okay, that was stage one of the plan…  
Now for the second part…but I couldn't say it. I couldn't force the words out. When did it become so hard to speak to her?  
'The school dance is coming up'…SAY IT, DAMMIT!

We had finished our ice creams when I summed up enough courage to ask her. I felt somewhat woozy and I could feel my heart beating faster as each second passed.  
"K-Kisa"  
"Hm?"  
"Theschooldanceiscomingup" I said, incomprehensible words fumbling out of my mouth quickly.  
"What did you just say?" she asked, with a somewhat hopeful expression on her face.  
"Um…" I said, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks.  
"Hiro?" she asked as she moved closer to me, her hand now touching mine. I almost twitched. She was close…so close…  
Her orange hair moved in the slight breeze and her kind eyes were fixed on mine. She had such a cute smile on her face…

"Er…the s-school dance is c-coming up," I said after a very long pause.  
"Oh yeah…my favourite part of Valentines…" she said softly, putting her hands together happily.  
"And I was wondering…if-if"  
She nodded, staring straight into my eyes, sending a shiver down my spine.  
"If you want to…"  
"If I want to…?"

"Ask Kyo, Yuki and that Honda girl to come with us!" I blurted out.

Damn…I couldn't do it. But there was still a chance!

"Oh," she said happily, "I'd be thrilled if Onee-chan could come with us"  
"And…"  
"And?"  
"And if you'd like to…"

She sat beside me patiently, waiting for the question she wanted, like a tiger lying in wait for prey to walk into its territory. She was like that. I knew she could never sum enough courage up to ask.  
"Hiro-kun?" she asked again, her voice was like a little child tugging on a mother's sleeve.  
"I was wondering if you'd like to go with…THEM?"  
Kisa seemed taken aback by the question. She eyes widened, but the other features on her face remained the same.  
"And that's because I-I don't want to go to that stupid dance…" I said foolishly.

"Oh…" she said, her face lowering, her eyes dropping to look at the ground, "If that's what you want, Hiro…"  
"Kisa…" I started.  
"I think I'll go home by myself today" she said quietly and ran off.  
"KISA!" I yelled as she sped away.

I'd done it again. I dug myself into a hole again. I couldn't get out by myself. Why did I say that? Was it because I wanted to prove that I was an adult, too old for fun, games and dances? I was so selfish. Only thinking of my pride…I sat at that seat for the afternoon, my mind clouded with regret and guilt. It was starting to get dark. Then I noticed a familiar figure standing next to me.

Oh no, it was the Honda girl…  
I hated her and her whole holier-than-you attitude. Who did she think she was? Mother Teresa or something.

"Hiro-kun! I haven't seen you since the summer holidays!" she exclaimed, joining me on the bench:I just came back from my part-time job and-"  
"Hey, I don't want to hear your life story, okay?"  
"I'm sorry Hiro…it's just you looked kind of sad, sitting here by yourself…"

"Shut up! It's none of your business!"

She bowed her head apologetically.  
"I'm sorry, Hiro-kun" she said, her hair covering her eyes as she bowed.

A familiar voice rang through my head…

_"What happens when people try to get close to you? You push them away, Hiro…you just push them away…you're selfish…you never stop to think about how the other person might feel…"_

I'd done it again. Pushed someone who actually cared for me away…

"Look, I'm sorry" I said, avoiding her eyes, "I don't mean to be nasty or selfish. It's just how I am…"  
"Hiro, I don't think you're selfish," she said brightly, "I think you're a wonderful person…it's just you get a bit shy when you have to express your feelings…It reminds me of something my mum said a long time ago."

I rolled my eyes. She was always on about her mother…

"Tohru, you've got to learn that you've always got to say what you want to say in front of someone because you might never have the chance to say what you want to that person again…"  
I looked at her. She looked different…almost sad…  
"That's what she said," she whispered, "A few days before she died…"

I felt a lump in my throat. Did I make her upset?

"Tohru-"

"My mum…every morning when she left home, I'd say 'Have a safe trip'…but that day, I didn't say it…and she died…" she said, tears welling up in her eyes, her grip tightened on her schoolbag, "There were so many things I wish I said to her…and now I can't say them…I want to hug her…to tell her hat I love her and how grateful I am to have a mother like her…"

As she spoke, Kisa's face appeared in my mind. Tohru then closed her eyes and sighed. She dropped her schoolbag and put her hands on her knees.

"Thank you" I said softly, moving towards her and holding her hands, "Thank you so much for sharing your mother's wisdom with me"  
She looked at me and smiled.

"Shall I walk you home" I asked, beaming at her.

"No, that's okay" she said quickly in a high pitched voice, "Hiro-kun is very kind…you don't have to walk that far to Shigure's house…I have to go now…Bye!"

With that, she grabbed her bag and ran off, waving cheerfully at me.

I sat at the bench for a while.

I'm going to ask her to go with me…  
Before it's too late…

'_Go Mogeta, Go! Go Mogeta, Go! If you wanna save Ari, you gotta go, Mogeta, GO!_' my phone sang out.

Ah my favourite ringtone…I took it out of my front pocket.

"Hiro, dearie…come home…it's getting dark! Kisa called three times to see if you were home" mum's worried voice called out on the mobile phone.  
"Okay, mum…" I said as I put the phone back into my front pocket.

I smiled to myself. No more pushing others away. From this day on, Hiro Sohma was going to be a different person. A kind person…  
A person Kisa would be proud of!


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry I haven't updated in SUCH a long time…  
First, I went on a holiday…camping in the great outdoors…;  
(Snaps) There were no bears : D  
And then my computer kinda died on me...;  
Okay…here's the next chapter (finally…)  
By the way, thanks for the reviews

Chapter 2

I ended up visiting Shigure's house. I wanted to ask that girl for advice…I mean, how was I supposed to know the proper way to ask Kisa to the dance?  
I still can't believe how…mushy…I acted in front of that girl…

"_Do you want me to walk you home?"_

I shuddered…as long as she kept her mouth shut…Okay, I don't hate her as much now…but that doesn't mean we're friends…

I walked to the door and knocked gently. The door was open…what an airhead…she probably forgot to lock it. I took my shoes off and walked in. Her room was upstairs. I visited once before…it looked like Shigure and the two fighting Sohmas were out. I walked upstairs and towards her room, the floorboards creaking a bit. Then I heard voices…two female voices…

I stopped by her door and peered in through the keyhole. She was there with…Kisa! Oh no…I couldn't possibly talk to her after what I did yesterday…my legs wanted me to hide but my head wanted me to stay longer and eavesdrop…

"-I mean…I think he's a great person…" Kisa said quietly, her voice barely audible, "But I was a bit upset-no, it's selfish of me to think this…I mean, I was almost forcing him to ask me to the dance…it is _his_ decision…"

"No it isn't, Kisa," Miss know-it-all declared, "You could ask him…"

Kisa cupped her own cheeks with her hands. That's what she did when she was blushing.

"I wouldn't be brave enough…" she whispered.

"I'm sure you could do it, Kisa" Honda said with a peppery expression on her face "You're the tiger and I don't know anything else that's braver than a tiger"

"But what if he says no…" she said, her eyes fixed to the ground, "I mean, he said no to all those girls at school and he told me that he didn't want to go and…"

"Hiro has a different way of expressing his feelings" she replied, "He doesn't like to show what he's feeling…especially to you. He loves you a lot, I know he does"

Kisa sat there silently.

"Okay…" she said clenching her fists in determination "I will ask him"

There was a beep.

Oh no…what if that was a burglar alarm or something? They'd find me…I sped down the stairs.

WHAM!

I came in contact with something…or someone.

Oh no…it was that troublesome red head.

"What the hell are you doing here, you little brat" he asked pulling my left ear.

"None of your business" I said.

He then picked me up by my shirt.

"Did you do anything to Tohru?" he asked, raising his fist threateningly.

"Hey, hey, hey!" I said trying to think up a plan…

"LOOK!" I yelled, "Yuki's behind you!"

His grip on my shirt loosened. Perfect.

I pulled away and ran away…out of his reach. I then sped down the road. After all, I _am_ the sheep…they do run pretty fast…

I took a couple of shortcuts and I was back home.

Hiro the hero had escaped unscathed! I could write a novel…

I walked to school today, ready to talk to Kisa. I haven't spoke to her since what happened at the lake…strangely, she wasn't at school today. She seemed perfectly fine yesterday.

"Hiro!" the teacher called out, "Where's Kisa-san?"

"You mean, you didn't get a call from her mother or anything? Her mother would have definitely called you if she was sick!"

"Well…why else would I be I asking you?"

"Shut Up!" I yelled, almost about to cry.

I dashed out of the classroom, my chest hurt. Where was she? My head was spinning.

'Think, Hiro…THINK!' I thought as I ran past the school gates.

"Young man, where do you think you're going?" a teacher asked, reaching out to catch me.

I ducked.

"Hey, COME BACK" he yelled, waving his briefcase around pathetically.

I was heading to Kisa's house to double check. I ran to her house and pressed the doorbell. I waited, fidgeting with my hands.

No one answered. Her mother had already left for work…

Crap.

What the hell was I supposed to do now?

I headed back to school, taking the route she usually took. I waled past the convenience store…the petrol station…the lake…

I stopped there and looked into the grey-ish water. The cherry blossoms were still falling onto its surface…

This was where it happened…

Where Kisa…

Kisa?

I just noticed something…

It was Kisa, she was standing next to the lake…but she wasn't alone.

There was a group of people that surrounded her. What were they doing? I crept up to the crowd, slipping behind a tree to remain hidden.

"-I'm tellin' you! I'm not asking you! I'm tellin' you to go with me. Go with me or we'll toss you in the lake."

They didn't know that she couldn't swim well…

"I'm sorry, I don't want to go with you" she said trying to squeeze through the human barrier they had created.

"Hey! Where are you going?" one of the boys said, "We've still gotta talk to you! We don't wanna chuck such a pretty girl into the lake. Go with our mate, Takuya and we'll let you go!"

Oh no…in order for her to be thrown in…there was a possibility that she'd be hugged…

"Someone will see you!" she yelled indignantly. It was the first time I had ever seen her like this. It was like a side of her that was hidden under her bashfulness.

"Not likely," said the tallest boy who seemed like the leader of the group, looking around. He must've been Takuya. He was right…no one else was there…except me, of course…  
"And it's not like you have someone to go with!" another boy added.

"Come on, Kisa" Takuya said, resting his hand on her cheek.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" I yelled, without thinking "And don't call her 'Kisa' so lightly. And for your information, she's going with me!"

"Ah…it's the other Sohma…he's not as cute as this one" Takuya said, turning around.

His cronies laughed. What was I supposed to do now?

I had blown my cover…and there were seven of them…

"Hiro-kun!" Kisa yelled, trying to reach out to me. I ran forward and tried to pull her away from them. I succeeded. She was in my arms now…she was safe.

"Oh…how sweet" Takuya said with a smug gin on his face, "So did you think you could just run here, save the girl and get going? You know…that girl isn't that cute…I could do better I just asked her becau-"

"Shut your mouth!" I yelled, my face going red, I could feel tears in my eyes. Kisa, who was still in my arms looked at me, surprised and pleased to see me.

"Don't say anything about her!" I continued, "WHAT HAS SHE EVER DONE TO YOU? You don't even know her! You didn't even listen when she said 'no'! You're a pig! You're a disgrace to all males in the world! You-"

"Listen! I don't want to hear whatever you're crapping on about anymore, okay?" Takuya said.

He then lunged forward and pushed me.

I quickly let go of Kisa. I was falling…

SPLASH!

My eyes widened in horror as I fell back…into the water.

It was so cold in the water…I could only hear them laughing…I started to swim up for air.

I swallowed the mouthful of water in my mouth and swam as quickly as I could. But it seemed so far away…it got harder to breathe…

And then everything went black…

…

I woke up to feel a hand holding onto mine…

Was it an angel?

Yes, it was…it was my angel…it was Kisa.

I was lying on a bed. Where was I?

The surroundings were unfamiliar…

Then a teacher walked in. It was the teacher with the briefcase.

"When you ran away, I was sure something was wrong. I waited there for about ten minutes when I heard a splash. I rushed over there and I saw you…unconscious by the lake-"

"By the lake? Did you-"

"No…this little lady saved you," he said gesturing at Kisa.

I stared at her in amazement. She was blushing…

"Ahem" the teacher said, "The boys who did this will be severely punished. Motsusawa Takuya might face expulsion. So, I guess I'll leave you two here for a while…"

With that, he left, closing the door behind him.

I looked at Kisa and almost literally 'jumped' onto her, embracing her.

"I'm sorry, Kisa" I said, "I'm so sorry."

My heart started beating quickly, but it was in a pleasant way. I then felt tears on my shirt.

"I'm sorry too, Hiro-kun" she whispered, letting go of me and then holding my hands, " I was so worried when he pushed you…"

We sat there for a moment, in silence.

Then we looked at each other. I felt myself blush…this was a chance!

"Will you go to the dance with me?" I asked.

Kisa leant forward and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"I'd love to"

THE END


End file.
